Dearest Master
by Celonhael
Summary: InuYasha and Kagome in an encounter with unexpected results
1. Chapter 1

The water was surprisingly cool, and delicious.

She took a breath, and sank, angling downwards, kicking with her legs. Below her, the water darkened the deeper it went, leading down until it became black.

Kagome swam, feeling her blood racing, the cool water raising little goosebumps on her skin.

When she felt the need to breathe, she rose towards the light, surfacing and taking a deep breath.  
She shivered, but it felt good.

The wind that had been blowing for the last little while had suddenly become hot and dry, and now, bathing so early in the morning, it was wonderful to feel so chilly.

Kagome tread water, sinking for a moment, letting the water close in over her head again, then rose, running her fingers through her black hair. She wondered if she should wash it, then decided against. It hadn't actually been dirty, and the cool water would refresh it.

She dove under again, swimming downward, letting the cool water wash over her. She remained down there as long as she could, once again, and then rose to the surface, treading water.

She shivered, and then struck out for the shore. Kagome swam until she felt bottom, and then stood up, quickly splashing towards where her clothes and towels were laid out. She grabbed up a towel, quickly wrapping it around herself, and knelt, starting to dry her hair.

She was thinking about InuYasha.

He had come back last night, walking calmly towards the hut. She had been staying near the windows, on the look out, once the sun had risen.

When Kagome had gone inside Kaede's hut, she had found the others sitting there, talking. Kaede was not there, but her friends were.

Sango glanced up at her, about to speak, but the look on Kagome's face stopped the woman short, and she turned fully, "Kagome, what's wrong?"

"It's InuYasha," Kagome said, her voice shaky, "He's gone to talk to Master Akira because he turned into the demon again."

Miroku, Sango, and Shippo all turned, now, looking fully at her. Miroku spoke first, "What? What happened?"

"He...there was a demon going to attack the village, and InuYasha fought it, but he must have lost the Tetsusaiga and he turned into the demon, and when I showed up he attacked me, but I 'sat' him and he came back but he's so angry and he left to find Master Akira, and I...I..."

She started walking towards them, suddenly lurching slightly when she put her weight on her bad leg. They were up in seconds, moving towards her. Sango took her arm, "You were attacked? Are you badly hurt?"

"He's gone to Master Akira?" Miroku asked, turning towards the door, "Sango, may I have Kirara-"

"Of course," Sango said quickly, "Hurry, before he-"

"No," Kagome turned, looking at Miroku, "No, he wants to be alone."

"No, he needs a friend with him," the monk said, the little kitten already following him out, pushing back the door covering, "I'll go with him to Mas-"

"_No_, Miroku, please."

Miroku paused, looking back at Kagome, upset.

Kagome smiled at him, wanting to cry, but pushing the tears away. Their thoughts - their very _first_ thoughts, had been for him. To aid him. Support him.

_I love you all, so much._

"He told me he didn't want _anyone_ with him. He's really upset, and he needs to be alone with this."

Miroku picked up Kirara, walking back into the hut, "I don't like the thoughts of him out there on his own. He hates himself so much when this happens."

"I know," Kagome said softly, "And thank you, Miroku. Your first instinct was to go out to support him."

Sango looked at Kagome, and spoke again, softly, "How badly are you hurt, Kagome?"

Kagome smiled, shaking her head, "Scratched and stuff, but nothing too bad. I 'sat' him. But he feels..."

Shippo, quiet through all this, spoke, "So you think Master Akira will be able to help him?"

"If anyone can," Miroku said, "It's Master Akira."

Kagome had sat up the entire night, unable to sleep, waiting. Miroku and Sango had as well, but as the night wore on, they had succumbed quietly, and she let them sleep.

They hadn't seen how upset InuYasha had been. If they had, they would have been as sleepless as her.  
It had been very early that she had seen the crimson of his haori, as he walked calmly along the path to the village.

Kagome had stood up, pushing her way out of the hut, running towards him.

He had been ok.

When she had seen his face, she had known that somehow, everything was ok.

"InuYasha?!"

He had smiled at her, looking tired, but happy, "It's ok, Kagome. I'm ok now."

"What happened? What did Master Akira say? What did he do?"

InuYasha reached out, and took her hand, and gently squeezed it, "He's gone."

Kagome blinked, shocked, "Master Akira's gone!?"

"What? No, not Master Akira! Iki - the...other. The demon."

"It's...it's gone? What do you mean, it's gone? How is it gone?"

"I defeated it. Master Akira told me how to defeat it, and I did. He's gone now."  
Kagome blinked at him a few times, confused. She didn't understand how InuYasha could have just gotten rid of a part of himself, but he seemed very sure.

"Good, I...I'm so glad, InuYasha."

He watched her, smiling, eyes soft. Before she could do or say anything, he had pulled her towards him, gently, and embraced her, holding her close, his arms not pulling her tight, but holding her gently, loosely yet firmly. His hands rested lightly on her back. Kagome stood there, not knowing what to do, not holding him back, but not fighting either. She had been completely taken off guard.

"You don't have to be afraid of him anymore, Kagome," he said softly.

Her face against his shoulder, she fought to try to know what to say, and spoke softly, "Thank you, InuYasha. It...was it hard?"

"Not really," he said, his voice soft, "I had something worth protecting, and that made me stronger than him."

Kagome opened her mouth, and closed it again, at a loss. She was startled he was being so open with her suddenly, and she wondered if it had been harder than he was letting on.

She was suddenly aware of how warm he was, even on this warm morning, and just how it felt to be held like that. Not tight, loosely, but carefully, as if she were fragile, a treasure.

Her arms raised on their own violition, slipping around him, and she suddenly found herself hugging him back. Her hands remembered where to rest.

_I can't. I can't do this, he'll take this all the wrong way..._

Kagome swallowed, and stepped back, pulling from him, looking away, "How was Master Akira? Was he good?"

There was silence for a second, but when he spoke, his voice was level, and calm, "He was good. Cranky as ever."

They had walked back inside, where the others were just waking up, and Miroku had insisted he sit down and tell them what had happened.

Kagome dropped her towel, quickly dressing.

Back in the forest, higher up in a tree, back in the shadows, the hanyou sat. He was glaring at his feet, a bright blush across his face, berating himself.

_If she ever finds out, she'll kill you, you know that._

He hadn't _meant_ to watch her bathe. He really _hadn't_.

InuYasha had watched Kagome leave early that morning, and as usual, had followed behind her a ways, simply planning on being nearby in case she needed him. He didn't like it when she went out to bathe in the river, anyone could just walk up and see her there, a naked woman in the middle of the water, and who knows what they'd try to do!

He had gone up into a tree, where he could just keep an eye on her out of the corner of his eye, near in case she screamed. He had been thinking about her, about when he had come back.

He had been wondering if they were awake or not, and she had pushed back the door covering, running towards him, face pale, eyes wide, searching his face, and he had stopped, just watching her, feeling his heart start to pound a little.

She had been so worried.

InuYasha had reached out, and remembering her face from that night, he had pulled her to him, and had held her. He hadn't been able to help himself, had just wanted to hold her.

And for a few minutes, she had held him back.

InuYasha had been about to speak, to start telling her what she meant to him, how much he missed her, when she pulled back.

Dissapointment surged in him, but he had let her go. Holding onto her would only have made things so much worse.

He had glanced over to where she was, and he had suddenly been looking right at her as she pulled her pjama top off over her head.

InuYasha had frozen, eyes wide. He wasn't near enough for her to see him, and he was back in the shadows, but he suddenly expected to be 'sat' 12 feet under. Seconds after that he suddenly realized she had no idea he was there...and that his vision was a lot better than hers at this distance.

He quickly turned his head, face feeling like it was on fire, staring wildly at the tree opposite him, panicked.

He swallowed, and leaned back against the tree, looking straight up into the branches. His heart was pounding so hard he knew she could hear it, there was no way she couldn't. After a second, though, curiosity got the worst of him...and he raised his head, and turned again.

Kagome had just finished kicking off her pants and underwear, and splashed out into the water, jumping, slicing into the water cleanly.

He stared.

_Stop looking stop looking stop looking..._

He couldn't.

It was physically impossible.

Up in the tree, he watched as she swam, occasionally diving under the water, her bottom rising as she dove, dissapearing from sight.

Her long black hair rippled under the water as she swam, her skin pale against the darkness of the water, her legs slicing cleanly as she moved.

She was so..._round_.

Over a year of running, fighting, using a bow, a sword...they had all toned her, rounded her, firmed her up.

Looking dazed, he watched, his face the same color as his haori, as she slowly rose to the surface, her hair spreading out around her like some water spirit. She raised her hands, eyes closed, running her fingers through her hair, water curling against her belly, breasts above the water. He could see the Shikon, the Bloodstone, and a glint of something gold - his pendant. Kagome stayed in one place, gracefully treading water for a few minutes, before diving under again.

InuYasha was suddenly, horribly aware of just how badly he wanted to _join_ her.

Kagome rose again, and swam towards the shore. When she reached the shallows, she stood, and splashed towards the shore.

And oh Gods she _bounced_...

He watched, helpless, as she moved to where her things were put out, and wrapped herself with a long towel, and knelt, starting to dry herself off.

InuYasha had his hands in fists, looking so dazed. He knew he shouldn't look, he _knew_ it, but how could he _not_?

She was...she was...

He continued to watch, silent, feeling horribly guilty and yet completely unable to look away, as she dropped the towel, and started dressing. InuYasha was suddenly swamped with sensations he really didn't need at that moment. Remembering her in her world not that long ago, kissing him, wearing only her bra, sitting on his belly, the full roundness pressing against him...

That time in her world, when they had been out to that weird place, and that woman had put something in his drink...he had been like he was drunk, and...

He had started kissing her neck, and had brought his hands around and...

The feel of Kagome in his hands, how her back had arched slightly...

His face burned hotter when he suddenly realized his own body was starting to react now, to watching her, and _remembering..._

InuYasha watched her leave, relieved when she walked out of sight, because he was suddenly, badly, in need of cold water.

Kagome was surprised to return to the hut and find him gone, but she guessed he was just out, possibly bathing as well. She was glad they hadn't run into each other, _that_ would have been awkward.

She knew she was right when he returned, squeaky clean, his hair damp. When Kagome asked him if he had had a nice bath he had thanked her, but turned away, turning bright red. She wasn't sure what that was about, maybe he thought she had seen him or something?

"So, what do we have planned for today?" Miroku asked.

"I'm thinking about heading to my village," Sango said quietly, "If no one has any objections."

"Why would we object?" Miroku smiled.

Sango looked at the hanyou, "InuYasha, are...you sure you're...feeling ok?"

InuYasha suddenly blinked, "Huh? Yeah, I'm fine, why?"

"Well, I..." she shrugged, "After what happened, I...I don't want to just up and leave if..."

InuYasha blinked, and Kagome saw him suddenly start, "No, I'm fine. You go. I don't expect you to just...hang around if I was feeling funny, Sango."

Sango smiled sweetly at him, "I know you don't expect it, ani, but _I_ don't want to go if you're not feeling well."

Kagome raised her cup, taking a quick drink to hide her smile at the demon-slayer's use of 'ani'. InuYasha blinked, startled, but he shook his head quickly, "No. No, go and see Kohaku and your village! It's good, go!"

Kagome smiled down into her cup. Sango's use of 'big brother' still startled the hanyou.

"You can come as well, you know," Sango suddenly said, "You should visit us. Look around, see the place now that it's completed."

InuYasha considered it, but shook his head, "Next time, I'll go."

Sango nodded.

"Alright," she said, and looked at Miroku, "Are...you coming?"

Miroku looked pleased, and stood, smiling gently at her, "I will, thank you. I would like to see Kohaku again. He's certainly growing like a weed."

"Can I come?" Shippo asked eagerly.

Sango laughed, "Of course, come on."

Kagome watched as the demon-slayer, monk, and kitsune walked out after packing their bags, chatting lightly about Sango's little brother.

InuYasha walked over, and sat by the fire-pit, poking a few small sticks into the fire. They didn't need one for heat or light, but he wanted to keep the kettle warm for tea.

"So, how does it feel to be called big brother?" Kagome asked.

InuYasha blinked at her, and surprised her by blushing. He looked back to the fire, poking at it a few more times, and shrugged.

Kagome smiled, and leaned forward, "Hmmmmmmm?"

He kept his eyes on the fire, and put in another few sticks, "It's...weird."

"Mm-hmm."

"And...nice."

Kagome smiled.

He glanced up at her, meeting her eyes over the fire, and suddenly smiled, actually managing to look shy.

"You'll get used to it, in time." Kagome said.

InuYasha nodded, and looked back at the fire. Truth to be told...it felt _great_. When he had called Sango imouto, it had felt...strange, but nice, too. He had never thought he would _ever_ call someone little sister.

"So what do _you_ have planned for today?" Kagome asked.

InuYasha leaned back, and shrugged, "Nothing, you?"

"Nope," Kagome stretched her legs out, "Guess we'll have to find some way to occupy ourselves."

InuYasha's face suddenly bloomed red, and he quickly turned, rummaging in his bag for some tea.  
Kagome didn't notice.

_This is what happens you peek!_ InuYasha cursed himself, _You become a moron later! Learn from it!_

"No herbs to collect. DarkWind is visiting Tristar." Kagome lightly touched her chest, where the Bloodstone rested under her shirt.

"He's spending a lot of time there," InuYasha said, pouring out some hot water into a cup.

"They definately had something, once."

InuYasha blinked, looking at Kagome sharply. The kettle shifted, and boiling hot water splashed out over his hand. He cursed loudly, dropping both the cup and the kettle, the small cup shattering on the floor.

"InuYasha!"

Hissing in pain, InuYasha darted from the hut, flying towards the river, where he ran out up to his ankles, and plunged his hand into the swift moving, chill water.

_"Damnit!"_ he cursed, the pain swelling and throbbing.

"InuYasha!"

He looked over his shoulder to see Kagome running towards the river, not nearly as fast as he was, holding her first aid kit in her hand, "Let me see it!"

"It'll be fine," he called back to her, cursing under his breath.

"No, let me see, that's a bad burn! That water's not cold enough, come in!"

Hissing, he stood up, looking at his hand. There was a furious-looking red mark on his hand, and his fingers trembled. A blister was threatening to form.

He splashed up to the shore, and stood, holding out his hand. Kagome grabbed his wrist, turning his hand, and he was suddenly startled to see tears in her eyes.

"Kagome, what's wrong!?"

"What do you mean what's wrong?! You just spilled boiling water-!" she stopped, looking at his hand.

InuYasha watched her as she looked embarassed, "Sometimes I forget you're hanyou," she said, shaking her head at herself, "I expected that to be so much _worse_ than this."

She opened the first aid kit, and took out a small white package. He watched, curious, as she took it in both hands, suddenly twisting it violently. Then she gave it a shake, and put it on his hand, against the burn.

InuYasha blinked as the small white package was suddenly ice cold against his hand.

"What is that?"

"Cold pack."

"But there's no ice!"

"No, it's some sort of chemical-thing. You break it and it mixes with something else and gets cold. I thought you would need it...I should have known you'd just shrug this off."

"I...I'm not really shrugging it off," he said lamely, not wanting her to suddenly stop. He always enjoyed it when she fussed over him.

"Here, sit down."

He knelt before her, watching as she took out several little bottles of this and that, opening a few bandages.

InuYasha suddenly looked at her, "What about you, how are you doing?"

Kagome blinked at him.

InuYasha leaned back, holding the little cold package against his hand, "I mean, the...the things I gave you."

"Oh, _those_."

"Don't make light of it, damnit."

"Look, stop fussing over them. They'll heal. I know you're upset over what happened, but they were _small_. They were _scratches_ and scrapes and-"

"_Holes,"_ he growled lowly, "_Claw-holes."_

"Neat and _tidy_ claw-holes," she added firmly, "Besides, you saw them, you know they're fine."

InuYasha leaned back, face flushing, eyes wide, "_I didn't see them! What are you talking about!?"_

Kagome blinked at him, arching a brow, "Oh? You put lotion and band-aids on them without looking at them? That's a neat skill."

InuYasha blinked at her a second, "Oh. Yeah. I...I..."

Kagome started giggling, "You thought I was accusing you of something else? When did you have time?"

"How long is this supposed to be on!?" he asked wildly, needing to change the subject, badly.

"Let me see."

She leaned over, and removed the small white package. Kagome blinked.

There was a smallish blister starting to form on the back of his hand.

"Wow. That's probably not even worth a band-aid. Ug. I'm jealous."

"It was the cold," he said quickly, "The cold kept the blister from forming."

Kagome laughed, and picked up a little spray bottle. She gave it a few shakes, and sprayed something on the back of his hand. It caused the blister to feel cooler.

"That's all you need, probably. I'll put a band-aid on it just to keep the blister from bursting. It'll heal better if you leave the blister there."

He watched as she put a large band-aid over the blister, patting it gently, "There."

InuYasha smiled at her, "Thank you, Kagome."

She smiled at him, and started packing up the kit again.

InuYasha suddenly thought about something. If they were alone...really and honestly alone...maybe...maybe this would be a good time to try and...talk to her.

_We're alone. No one can interrupt us. DarkWind's gone. She can't go looking for Miroku or Sango. She said she didn't have to go for herbs._

A plan started to form.

_If I can get her away from the village, just the two of us...go for a walk or something. Or a...a picnic. Kagome's always wanting a picnic._

The way she looked at me that night. And the way she held me, and...she let me hold her, _**twice**__ now. I can start talking, and...and she...she'll listen. Right? Yeah. That sounds good._

InuYasha blinked at her as she started to stand up, and he stood up quickly, "Let's go for a walk!"

Kagome blinked at him, "What?"

"Let's just...go for a walk! In the forest!"

"You...you want to go for a walk?"

"Yeah, why not? It's not raining or anything! You said yourself there wasn't anything else to do!"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"Come on it'll be fun!" he grabbed her wrist, apparently preparing to just pull her forward along the path if he had to.

"I...alright," Kagome cocked a brow at him, but laughed. InuYasha was obviously feeling good after being victorious over his inner demon.

InuYasha let her wrist go when she fell into place beside him, knowing that right now he shouldn't take her hand. Not yet. Later. Later when they were talking.

Suddenly, a stray thought crept into his mind. When they were alone, talking, and when he told her how he still felt, and that he knew that she felt the same way, and everything was working out, then...then...maybe he'd kiss her, and...kissing...might...lead...

He suddenly remembered her in the water, naked, hands in her hair, eyes closed.

_Not now!_ he yelled at himself, at his hormones, _First we talk! We talk! That's later! __**Much**__ later!_

"Sooo..." Kagome said, not sure what to say.

InuYasha looked at her, and realized he didn't have anything to start talking about. Not yet.

"How...how are your studies coming along?"

"Good, actually. I'm not having as much trouble this year as last. It's going to be easier."

"Good," he said, meaning it, "You won't panic as much, hopefully."

They moved through some shadows, a few birds moving across the path. InuYasha watched them, and suddenly felt a brief burst of sorrow. He still missed Izumi.

"I did panic a lot last year, didn't I?" Kagome laughed.

"You could say that," he said, wryly.

"Well, with my better luck, things should go a lot easier. Besides, the tutoring will be a big help."

InuYasha suddenly scowled at the path ahead of him. The last thing he wanted to talk about right now was Yoshijo.

"I'll have to head back home in a little while, though," she said, interrupting him, "I need some new clothes."

InuYasha glanced at her. Today she was wearing a bright purple T-shirt and what she called 'trackpants', "Why, what's wrong with those?"

"I..." she suddenly blushed, looking ahead to the path.

InuYasha blinked, "Kagome?"

"I just need new clothes. Some of my old things don't fit right anymore."

Once again, images came to his head, images he really didn't _want_ right now, they were too damn distracting!

"Don't...fit?" he asked weakly, flushing, images in his head, "Are they...too tight?"

He suddenly realized, as soon as the words were out, what he had said, and he stopped, horrified. _Did I actually just ask-_?

Kagome, unfortunately, took it the wrong way. She turned, glaring at him.

"Are you saying I'm _fat_!?"

He looked at her, eyes wide, panicked, "What!? No! I didn't mean that!"

"Then what was that crack supposed to mean!?"

"It didn't mean anything!" he squawked, "I didn't mean anything, it was stupid, it just came out, I'm sorry!"

"_I am not fat!"_

_"I know, I know, I didn't mean it! That was just what I thought __**you**__ were saying! You're not fat at all! You're skinny!"_

Kagome suddenly blinked.

"I.._not skinny!_" he cried, looking like he was expecting the gates of hell to open up and attack, "I didn't mean _skinny_, you're not skinny either! You're perfect!"

Kagome blinked again, now blushing brightly.

"I...uh..th-...thanks."

He stared at her, as if expecting her to grow fangs and take his head off, terrified, watching as she blushed. He swallowed, watching as she turned, and started along the path again. Cautiously, he fell into step beside her.

_Gods Above I have to be more careful! If she __**ever**__ finds out I saw her..._

Kagome was trying to calm herself down. She had reacted badly to his words, but what was she supposed to think? What on earth had he meant by being too big?

_"..You're perfect!"_

She fought the blush that threatened to stay. She certainly had never expected to hear him say that!

He had told her she was beautiful, once, but...to say she was perfect...

_Ok, calm down. Relax. Deep breath. He's not doing anything, he's just being polite._

"Anyway...so...um. Yeah. New clothes."

"Well, that's good, right? I mean, you like shopping, don't you?"

"Sometimes. Sometimes it's annoying. I..." she glanced at him, "Do you want to come with me?"

InuYasha blinked, "When you buy clothes!?"

"No!" she laughed, "I mean to visit!"

"Well...I...I do, sometimes, right?"

"Yeah, I just meant...where Seiki is looking for you now...if you think it's a good idea..."

He suddenly felt angry, and it showed in his voice, "I'm not letting that jerk stop me from visiting you in your world, Kagome. I won't run around your city like I used to, but I'm not - "

He looked at her, worried, "You...it's ok, isn't it? I mean, you don't mind?"

"Why would I mind, you're always coming over!"

"I mean, now that Seiki..."

Kagome turned, and looked at him firmly, "Inu-Yasha! You heard my grandpa! We're not letting anyone tell us who we can or can't have at our house! You're my friend and you are _always_ welcome there, _anytime!_ Don't you let any worry about him stop you from coming over!"

He paused, watching her, and spoke softly, "Thank you."

Kagome looked at him, and nodded, looking ahead again, "Of course."

They walked on.

The day grew a little warmer. The birds sang, and a few flowers dared show their faces in the low, dry grass.

InuYasha looked at them, and suddenly wondered if he should actually go and get them for her. Women liked flowers. And he had picked some for her before, once. Maybe he should do it again? But maybe that would make her too uneasy? He didn't want her uneasy, if he was going to talk to her, he wanted her to be relaxed.

Ok. No flowers, that's fine. If things worked out, he'd get them for her after.

_Have we come far enough? Maybe I could just get her to sit down for a bit, and start talking? How do I start? How do I bring it up?_

The river re-appeared, gurgling lowly, and he grasped at it's presence.

"Hey look," he turned, walking towards it, "It's...um...those...flower things..."

Kagome blinked at InuYasha's back, starting to walk behind him. Flowers?

InuYasha was noticing _flowers_?

She suddenly started wondering just how much _InuYasha_ may have changed now that his inner demon had been chained.

Kagome walked over and stood beside him, "Oh. Water-lillies. Yeah."

"They're rare, aren't they?"

"Water-lillies?" Kagome looked at him in confusion, "No, they're pretty common, actually."

"Oh."

Kagome frowned, "InuYasha, are you alright?"

He blinked, looking at her, "What?"

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, why!?"

"You're acting sort of funny."

"No I'm not, I'm fine!"

"Maybe we should head back to Kaede's?"

"No, let's..let's sit here for a bit." He startled her by suddenly plopping down on the riverbank, dangling his legs over the side, looking up at her. He seemed awfully nervous, and Kagome started to grow a little worried. He wasn't acting like himself at _all_. He'd been acting sort of strange all morning, come to think of it.

InuYasha patted the ground next to him, "Come on, sit down."

"Ok..." Kagome sat beside him, dangling her legs over the edge as well, lightly swinging her legs. Well, whatever it was, she was sure he was fine.

InuYasha looked out over the water, peering at her from the corner of his eye.

The purple of her shirt seemed extra vibrant in the sunlight, and her hair took on that hue he loved so much, just like ink, faint blue glints in them. He suddenly remembered how it rippled out behind her as she swam, and he found himself speechless for a second.

_Ok. Ok. You can do this. But how to bring it up? If I just start talking, she'll get angry. I have to try and sneak it into the conversation..._

Nothing.

_There has to be something to talk about, anything! Think! Just pick something!_

"You said DarkWind and Tristar had something?"

Unseen by Kagome, InuYasha suddenly slapped a hand to his face, _What are you, stupid!? Not __**him**__, don't talk about DarkWind!_

"Yeah," she said, "I think she was the one we saw when we saw his past, remember? There was one like him...and he never came out and said anything, but I think he likes her."

InuYasha lowered his hand, watching her closely, "How...how do _you_ feel about that?"

Kagome looked out over the water, and shrugged.

He blinked, ears flicking. She shrugged? That was good, wasn't it? She wasn't upset? If she felt more about him than a friend she'd be upset, wouldn't she?

"Well..." he didn't know what to say, "I guess it's good he has someone."

"I guess."

She seemed...uncomfortable.

Not good.

"I...I didn't thank you for the gift you gave me." he said, looking into the water.

Kagome looked at him, "What?"

InuYasha touched the Tetsusaiga, where it sat at his hip. She saw the sheath strap, and smiled, "You don't have to thank me. I'm glad I could find you something for your birthday. You're not exactly easy to shop for, you know."

"It...it means a lot to me." he said quietly.

She smiled, "It's fine, honest."

Suddenly remembering something from that morning, a faint glint of gold, he shifted. InuYasha lightly trailed his toes in the water below, just able to touch it, "You're still wearing the sword pendant I gave you."

Kagome looked at him, quietly, and nodded, "I said I would. As a friend, remember?"

"Yeah..."

Swallowing, steeling himself, he turned, and looked at her.

"Kagome...I..." he faltered, not sure how to start, what to say.

Kagome looked at him, and blinked, suddenly seeing the look in his eyes. She panicked.

"We should be getting back." She leaned back, putting one foot on the ground, to start standing.

InuYasha grabbed her hand, "No, wait. I just want to talk-"

"Well I don't," she said quickly, "We'll be late."

"Late for _what_? Kagome, please, just listen to me."

"No, I don't want to listen."

She stood, and he stood quickly too, keeping a hold of her hand, "Please, Kagome, just listen to me."

"I really don't want to listen, InuYasha!" she said, her voice going shrill. She was starting to panic. Kagome turned, trying to pull her hand back, but he kept it, firm.

"Kagome, you know I still love you!" he said, moving around her to stand in front of her, blocking her way, but trying to get her to look at him, too.

"Please, InuYasha, I don't want to hear this!"

"You're starting to feel it too, Kagome!"

_"No I'm not!"_ she said, keeping her eyes firmly on the ground, trying hard to pull back her arm.

"Yes you _are_! You let me hold you, Kagome, in that cave! You held me when I _needed_ you!"

"I'm just your _friend_, InuYasha!"

_"You weren't looking at me like a friend the other night!"_ he yelled, "I know what I _saw_, Kagome! Look at me!"

"Let go of my arm!"

"Please, just _look_ at me! Look me in the eye and tell me you don't care for me as more than a friend!"

"InuYasha!"

"You _can't_, can you!?"

"Yes I can! Let me go! Just let me go!"

He opened his mouth to speak, when suddenly a brilliant light bloomed on the opposite side of the river, like a mini sun. They both stopped, shocked, turning towards it, their fight forgotten, when a massive fireball came blasting through the forest, hurtling straight at them.

Kagome turned, to lunge aside, but she was quickly scooped up, and they were airborn. Kagome heard the impact of the fireball strike the riverbank where they had been standing moments before.

InuYasha landed, back from the riverbank, and they both looked, shocked, at the blackened hole that was gouged and burned into the riverbank. A smell of scorched earth filled the air.

_"What the hell!?"_ InuYasha hollared.


	2. Chapter 2

There was a sudden crashing sound in the forest, and they saw two trees topple.

"That doesn't look good," Kagome said.

"No, it doesn't." he agreed, and before she could say anything, he turned, running along the riverbank, looking for the bridge that he knew was just up ahead.

It was a small wooden thing, and he hit it fast, passing over the majority of it in one leap, moving quickly towards the sound of the explosion.

They came to where the trees had been toppled, and InuYasha slowed, and put Kagome down on the ground.  
They looked around, not seeing anything. But InuYasha could see the blackened hole across the river, and knew this was where their attacker had been.

Kagome looked at him, "Can you smell anything? Is it a demon? A Shadeling?"

The hanyou looked around, "I don't smell either of them. It's a weird smell. I smell...humans, and...something else."

"Something else?"

"Like...clay? Clay bricks?" He frowned, "It doesn't make any sense."

"Maybe whatever shot at us was made of clay?" Kagome asked. She hoped that were the case, because if so, it would be easily destroyed.

"Come on, this way," he turned, and started running along a faint path. He held back, not wanting to leave Kagome too far behind.

He cursed. He had finally managed to start talking to Kagome, and now this! Not...that it had been going well...

"The humans you smell," Kagome called to him, "Can you smell their fear or something?"

"No. And they might not even be mixed up with this at all! But I'm definately _not_ smelling demon, or Shadeling."

"Good!"

They ran on.

A short while later, he started to slow, and put out an arm in front of her, to stop her. Kagome slowed, quietly glad, and tried to catch her breath.

"InuYasha?"

"That clay-smell is up ahead...and I'm smelling more humans."

"Alright."

Cautiously, they started forward, peering out from the brush.

A clearing had been set up, and there were several men there, sitting, talking. They seemed to be wearing some strange robes, almost like monks, and they were talking lowly, sharing a meal. What looked like a giant thick tower stood behind them, easily the size of a five-story building. It looked like it was made of clay, or stone. It was unnaturally thick, almost like a huge rectangle. Kagome blinked at it, confused. While never having really travelled too far in this direction before, she was sure that tower had never been there before. She was sure she would have seen it sticking up out of the trees.

Beside her, she heard InuYasha growl lowly, and take her arm. Kagome turned to him.

"These guys are crazy and dangerous, Kagome."

"You've seen them?"

"Remember that time I told you someone had grabbed Sokai? And it was those crazy monks?"

Kagome nodded, and blinked, "_These_ guys?"

InuYasha nodded, "I'm pretty sure. They're wearing the exact same clothing, hair all in the same really short style. Yeah, same guys."

"What do you think they're doing here?"

"I don't know, but I sure as hell don't trust them as far as I could throw one of them. I'm gonna stay here, see what they're up to. You head back to the river."

"Not likely."

He blinked at her, "What? I'm not kidding."

"Neither am I." She kept her eyes on the three guys on the ground, eating.

"_Kagome,"_ he hissed, _"I said go back."_

"And I said no. They only seem to be eating...maybe they're just passing through."

He leaned close to her so he wouldn't have to raise his voice, and whispered furiously, _"I don't care what they're doing, go the hell back to the river and wait for me."_

Kagome whispered back, not looking at him, _"Didn't anyone ever tell you whispering is considered rude?"_

He blinked at her.

InuYasha was completely startled when she looked at him, and smiled sweetly.

_Oh GREAT she's __**enjoying**__ this!_

Kagome turned her attention back to the men, and InuYasha cursed at her in his mind, then muttered to himself, _Damnit, this isn't fair. She's cute._

Kagome suddenly stiffened, and nodded out at the men, "They're moving."

He shifted, peering out at them as well.

The three men had finished eating, and were now standing up, talking.

"I think they're getting ready to move out," InuYasha said.

Suddenly, the scent of strange humans was near, nearer than he expected, and he heard movement behind him.

InuYasha turned to see two men standing behind them, grinning, "Well well well, spies?"

"Kagome!" InuYasha grabbed Kagome's arm and yanked hard, dragging her to her feet and towards him, shoving her behind him.

"Ow!" Kagome was shoved and yanked like a sack of rice, but said nothing, backing up a step or two to keep clear of InuYasha in case he had to fight. She put her hand on her own sword hilt, but didn't pull it. It certainly wouldn't be necessary with InuYasha there.

The two men watched them. They were plain of face, wearing simple dark blue robes. Their hair was cut very short. One was slightly behind the other, standing behind a shoulder-high brush.

"Spying on us, were you?" one of them asked. He looked at InuYasha, and Kagome. InuYasha didn't like the fact that his eyes lingered on Kagome.

"Why the hell did you shoot at us!?" InuYasha demanded, raising his fists, "Trying to take us out?"

"Oh, are you the ones he shot at?" the other man said, stepping forward, "I didn't see who Manabu was shooting at, he just said there was a hanyou and a human woman across the river." The man narrowed his eyes at InuYasha, then spoke to the other man, "We should take them to Manabu, see what he wants done with them."

"Yeah. He said something about needing a hanyou for something. This one will do."

"No one's 'taking' us anywhere!" InuYasha snarled, pulling the Tetsusaiga. It flared to life with that unmistakable sound, and the two men found themselves facing a huge sword.

"Stay behind me, Kagome."

"Right."

"'Kagome', is it?" the first man spoke, looking at her closely, "You wear odd clothing, woman." Suddenly the man blinked, and grinned.

"Hey Saburo! That's the woman I was telling you about this morning!"

The second man blinked, and now he was looking at Kagome as well, "Oh? Aww, too bad. If you had been a few minutes earlier, you might have seen more."

Kagome suddenly blinked, shocked, "_What_!?"

"Yeah, pity," the first man grinned, "I showed up just in time to see _this_ guy come down to bathe. I sure as hell wasn't interested in him. Serves me right for sleeping in."

"You son of a bitch, you can't just go around watching women bathe!" InuYasha hollared.

The one called Saburo just laughed, "Alright, come on, let's go see Manabu. He'll want to talk to you."

"You're not very bright, are you?" InuYasha growled, "In case you haven't noticed, my sword is bigger than yours."

"That's hardly a problem," said the first man, and he glanced at the second man.

Before InuYasha or Kagome could do anything, could move, a sudden chime rang out in the little clearing.

_Dong!_

InuYasha suddenly stiffened, body going hard as a board. Kagome was about to ask him what was wrong when he hunched, letting out a pained scream. Kagome instantly recognised the chiming sound, a purifying bell, same as the one she had been forced to use on him in her own world.

_Dong!_

InuYasha toppled, dropping Tetsusaiga, the blade sighing back into it's weak, rusted form. InuYasha hit the ground, curling in on himself, shuddering in agony.

_"Leave him alone!"_ Kagome screamed, pulling her own sword. She lunged at the second man, the one who must be holding the bell, threatening to slice him. The man saw her coming and blinked, shocked, staggering back a step. The bell in his hand made a jangled, dischorded sound.

Kagome felt a strong hand suddenly clamp down on her wrist, twisting. She turned to look into the face of the man with the sword, glaring at her.

He twisted her wrist hard, and she bit back a cry, but she refused to drop her sword. Kagome set her foot and lifting her other, planted it hard in the crotch of the man holding her wrist.

With a weak groan, he dropped his sword, and crumpled.

The second man had turned, and was running now, running into the clearing, yelling for help.

Kagome dropped to her knees, grabbing at InuYasha's shoulders, where he was writhing on the ground, "InuYasha!?"

He couldn't talk, and before her horrified eyes, she saw his hair start to darken at the roots, starting to move out towards the ends.

"InuYasha, come on, stand up, you can't stay here!"

"...Kagome...run..."

"No, I can't leave you here! Come on!"

He lifted his head, looking at her, furious, and as she watched, his golden eyes faded to black, _"I said run!"_

"No! I can't! InuYasha I can't leave you!"

"Over here! They're here!"

"Damnit!" he grabbed her arm, and pushed her, _"Just listen to me this one time, go!"_

Kagome looked up, to see four men running towards them, three of them carrying what looked like either very long daggers, or very short swords. She felt her heart sink. There was no way she could fight off four men, even if they had been unarmed.

She looked down at him, where he was glaring up at her, angry, _"Go! GO!"_

Biting back a terrified curse, she turned, and ran from him, heading into the forest.

_I'll get Miroku and Sango, we'll come back on Kirara and we'll get him back!_

She suddenly remembered they had gone to Sango's village, _days_ from here.

Even Shippo was gone.

As she ran, Kagome tore the Bloodstone from around her neck, calling out to DarkWind.

_~DarkWind, I need you!~_

Silence.

Kagome almost ran smack into a tree, stumbling to the side for a second before running on again. She looked over her shoulder, terrified to see one man was still chasing her.

She couldn't hear DarkWind. Couldn't feel him.

There was no link at all.

_~DarkWind? DARKWIND!~_

Nothing. It wasn't that he was ignoring her, the link was completely gone.

_Is he too far away from me, now that the Bloodbond is broken? In the village we could still talk, but I can't feel him at all!_

What was she going to do?

InuYasha watched as she ran off, heading into the forest. He felt a strong surge of relief, at least these wackos wouldn't get her.

He was shocked when two of the men ran straight past him, obviously intent on catching her. The third man that ran past him was tripped when InuYasha reached out and grabbed his ankle, yanking.

The man fell with a curse.

The second man who passed him turned, now heading back towards InuYasha, but one was still chasing after Kagome.

Well, one was better than three.

His whole body ached, as if he had been run over by a bull. He made little resistance when two of the men stooped, and grabbed him, lifting him up. He struggled, but they were stronger than he was.

The one that had been carrying the bell walked back, grinning. Another man, an older one, looked at InuYasha, and grinned, "You were right, Saburo. The bell purifies demons, apparently, and merely turns hanyou human."

"That's what he told me, the leader of the Daiki monestary. He had he had turned a hanyou human with one just like this. The one that had escaped with the demon child."

_I knew it,_ InuYasha cursed under his breath, _These are the same kinds of monks as the ones that kidnapped Sokai._

InuYasha tried to break free, but a third man drew back, and punched InuYasha in the stomach, hard. He belt over, breath going with a whoosh, head hanging for a second as he fought to breathe.

"Bring him."

Kagome perched high in a tree, watching as the man who had been chasing her finally gave up the search with a loud curse, and turned, heading back. She had climbed quickly, and remained quiet, watching as he searched for her. If she only had a rock, she thought savagely.

After he left, she waited for what seemed like an hour, making sure he wasn't circling around, going to come back. She needed to go see what they were doing with InuYasha, but getting herself caught wasn't going to help him at all.

Slowly, she crept down from the tree, moving as quietly as she could, stopping to listen ever few seconds. Her head almost fell off, turning this way and that so much, so quickly. But she didn't see anything either.

_Ok, he's given up. I wish even Shippo were here, he could at least use some Fox magic to lure them away or something._

She started back towards the area, moving quietly.

_I suppose it would be normal for monks to have a purification bell, but it's freaky that poor InuYasha was turned human by one twice in the same month. And once the new moon comes in a few days, it'll be three. He's certainly getting his time in._

She slowed when the place came into sight, and she searched for a place to hide and watch.

_InuYasha had his nose and ears to tell him those men were there, I don't have that. So I have to try and hide._

Finding a somewhat heavy line of brush, Kagome got down on her belly and started crawling forward, slithering into the space between them. At least the clothing she was wearing stayed dull in the shadows.

Kagome leaned forward, and peered into the clearing.

She saw two of the men, but not the other three. The two she could see were standing together, talking.

One of them...she thought it was the one called Saburo, was holding the bell. It was the same type of bell Kagome had been holding that night in her world, and she felt a weird burst of hate for it.

She heard the sound of flesh striking flesh, and leaned forward slightly, trying to see.

Someone laughed, and the sound of flesh on flesh again.

Suddenly, InuYasha came into view, falling forward onto his stomach, black hair fanning out as he fell. Three of the men were walking behind him, quickly. As she watched, InuYasha started crawling, trying to stand, but one of the men grabbed his arm.

InuYasha struck out with a fist, but failed to make contact as a second man grabbed his other arm. The third walked up to him, laughing.

"Don't know when to just give up, do you?"

He drew back, and punched InuYasha in the face.

Kagome put both her hands over her mouth to stifle the furious cry that formed.

_Stop it!_

InuYasha fell backwards, onto his back. Even from where she was, she could hear him panting, cursing, trying to get up again.

One of the men walked over, and kicked him in the side.

Kagome heard InuYasha grunt in pain, curling in on himself for a second, making sounds of pain as he tried to breathe, long black hair lying on the ground.

She grabbed the bush she was hiding under, ready to go bursting out, and...

And...what?

What could she do?

The Shikon!

_I'll use the Shikon!_

Trying to ignore what was going on in the clearing, Kagome pulled the Shikon out from in under her shirt, and grabbed it in her hand, tight.

Kagome closed her eyes, concentrating.

She felt the Shikon, felt the faint, whispering power, swirling softly, a sound like a sigh.

Kagome started to gather the power...

And felt it fade like smoke between her fingers.

Cursing herself, she tried again. The Shikon was right there, and she had done this before...

There was the power, like a faint blue ribbon. All she had to do was reach out, and take one of the ribbons in her hand...

It vanished, dissapating into nothing.

Kagome opened her eyes, frantic. What was going on? Why couldn't she call on the Shikon?

_Why aren't you listening to me? You have to listen to me! Listen to me!_

Silence.

Kagome blinked.

_Human. Those people are human. The Shikon won't let me use it to harm humans?_

Anger welled up in her, _Those humans will kill him! You can't tell me when to use you and when not to! If you want me to use you for good and all that you have to be able to trust me!_

Nothing.

_Well...well..__**Damn**__ you then!_ she thought savagely.

"What are you, some sort of noble?"

Kagome looked back. Two of the men had InuYasha by the arms, pinning his arms behind him, and he knelt on the ground. A third was standing in front of him, with two fistfulls of long black hair.

"This is woman's hair!" the man laughed, "Or a nobleman's! You're a man, you should cut it! What do you think, guys, think we should cut his hair?"

"Sure! He'll thank us for making him less pretty, more handsome!"

The man holding a hank of hair pulled out his dagger, laughing, and pulled a length of hair tight, "Hold still now!"

InuYasha rocketed forward, planting his head in the other's lower stomach and crotch.

The man dropped his dagger, staggering backwards, cupping himself, making little mewling sounds.

"He just doesn't know when to _quit!_" one of the other men snarled, and drew back, punching InuYasha in the face again.

"That's enough," the one called Saburo said, walking over, "Manabu wants him, stop beating up on him."

One of the men spoke, "Is Manabu going to use this one?"

"Yes."

"Then what does it matter if he's beat up?" the man asked, "He's going to be killed anyway."

"Maybe Manabu doesn't want a battered sacrifice? I don't know, but you had best just tie him up and leave him. He'll be here in an hour or so. I'll start the brew."

"Fine," the other man said. He looked at InuYasha, glaring, yanking him to his feet, then brought up his knee into InuYasha's crotch.

_Stop it!_, Kagome mentally cried.

InuYasha crumpled, silent.

"That'll keep you quiet," the man snarled.

_I need my bow,_ Kagome thought frantic, _I can shoot them, make them chase me. That will be enough for him to be able to get away. And...and if they don't leave him alone, I'll shoot them to __**kill**__ them! They were talking about __**sacrifice**__!_

Kagome ran back towards Kaede's hut as fast as she could. She didn't even go for the bridge, just ran for the shallow part of the river, splashing her way through.

_An hour, I have an hour. An hour is __**plenty**__ of time to get my bow and get back and save InuYasha!_

Her feet pounded along the ground as she ran back to the hut, darted inside, grabbed her bow and arrows, and started back towards where InuYasha was.

Kagome called out to DarkWind, hoping he could hear her, but again there was nothing.

_Fine. I'll do it on my own. I can do this. I won't lose InuYasha._

Kagome started to slow down as she approached the clearing, removing an arrow and nocking it against the bow.

_Ok, how do I do this? Will they keep someone behind to guard him? If I'm going to make them chase me, it won't be any use if they just stay behind to guard him._

Ok. I'll shoot the closest one. If I kill him, I...kill him. So be it. It's like Jiro. They're going to kill InuYasha. So if someone dies, then...so be it. If the person doesn't die, then..well...they'll have an arrow in them! They won't be able to fight very well with an arrow in them!

She cautiously looked around, and when she moved to where they had last been, she saw Tetsusaiga, lying on the ground.

Kagome cast another cautious look, then put down the arrow, and picked up Tetsusaiga.

How was she going to carry the bow _and_ Tetsusaiga? It was notched and rusty, but it could still cut, she couldn't just stick it through her belt.

Seconds later, her eyes fell on the sheath, and she picked that up too, sliding the blade back in, quietly. Now she was glad she had given InuYasha the sheath strap. She quickly tied Tetsusaiga onto her belt, alongside her own sword, and picked up her bow and arrow again, and went back to stalking.

Peering into the clearing, she saw something that made her start to doubt she could do this.

There were still only five men there, but InuYasha had been tied up, and was lying on top of a large stone off to the side of the clearing. Naturally low and longish, it looked far too much like some sort of ancient altar to her, and the use of the word 'sacrifice' earlier did not help.

_Now what? If he's tied up, I can't just lead them off! He looks like he's knocked out or something._

Kagome's eyes roamed over his face. Even from where she was, she could see the bruises coming out on his face, one eye looking like it was going to blacken. His left cheekbone was starting to swell, and she hoped they hadn't broken bones.

InuYasha lay stretched out on the stone, floating inside himself. He couldn't feel the pain anymore, not even the sickly hot pain that had exploded in his lower stomach when that guy had kneed him in the groin. When he opened his eyes, he was looking straight up, at the blue sky overhead, a few fluffy clouds here and there, and he wondered if he were floating in the sky.

He should be very worried about something, he knew that. But for the life of him, he couldn't remember _what_.

_Think._

Ok.

Slowly, it all started to come back to him, sinking down into his consciousness like rain seeping into dry ground. He had been walking, with Kagome. And they had stopped by a river. And they had been fighting over something...

What had they been fighting over? He had been really upset, he could remember that, but...

And something had shot at them...

More and more settled into his mind.

He had been about to fight someone, but...

Pain. So much pain. And a feeling of anger, of disgust, of _'not again!'_

Things became clearer, and he shifted his head, looking around. He felt so dizzy.

InuYasha squinted around the clearing.

Kagome...

She had been bathing this morning. And he had watched her. And the water around her had sparkled...

Where was she?

He suddenly remembered yelling at her, telling her to run, to get away! There had been too many of the men, and he had been human, and weak, and...

He looked around the clearing again, feeling everything around him sway and spin. The dizziness swamped over him, but he kept looking for a smaller human than the men. He couldn't hear her voice.

Good. She had listened, then.

"I think he's awake."

InuYasha's vision swam as a man walked into view, watching him. It was the one who had been carrying the bell, he was sure of it.

The man shook his head, speaking to one of the other men, out of InuYasha's vision, "You made a mess of his face."

"So? He was too pretty! Now he looks like a man!"

Another man walked into view, and stood beside the first one. It was the one who had confronted them in the brush, and he glared at InuYasha. He was the one who InuYasha had head-butted.

"You're lucky Manabu wants you, you little bastard, or I'd gut you for that."

The man blinked, and looked at the other man, "Saburo, how much of that stuff did you pour down his throat, he looks drunk."

"He's pretty far out of it, but it will wear off soon enough."

"Mmph." The man leaned forward again, and poked InuYasha roughly in the chest, "Hey, where did you lover go? Huh? She live around here?"

InuYasha managed to croak, "Don't...touch..."

The man laughed, "Don't worry about her, boy. You're in more trouble than she is. Still...I wouldn't mind going to pay her a visit later. She wears weird clothing, but she's got a nice body. But you already know that, don't you? I saw you watching her bathe this morning. Idiot. If she were my lover I wouldn't have just been watching."

Saburo just looked tired, "You have a one track mind. Do you know when Manabu will be here?"

"He shouldn't be too much longer."

Kagome watched the men standing beside InuYasha, talking to him. She could just make out their voices, but she couldn't make out what was being said. She couldn't hear InuYasha answering though, and that made her nervous. How badly was he hurt?

_Ok. Well...here we go._

Kagome notched her arrow, and stood, aiming. She aimed for the center of the man's back. She didn't know if she was going to hit him or not, and she hated the fact she was possibly going to kill one. But all that mattered right now, was InuYasha.

Kagome steeled herself, and loosed her arrow.

The arrow hit home. The man, the one who had been talking to InuYasha, suddenly stiffened as the arrow thunked straight home, in the middle of his back.

Horror welled up inside her, but she pushed it back, _I had no choice. He would kill InuYasha._

The man seemed to sag, reaching back around as if he could grab the arrow. The man beside him, Saburo, looked at him, horrified, then turned, and met Kagome's eyes.

"There!" he yelled, pointing at her, "It's her! The woman! Get her!"

The other three men turned, looking at her in shock.

Kagome quickly notched another arrow, and fired.

Saburo tried to dodge, but it sank into his shoulder, and he fell, screaming in pain, "Get her, _kill_ her!"

The other three men turned, and, started running towards her, pulling their long daggers.

_Here we go_, she thought, and turned, running.


	3. Chapter 3

Kagome started to run, hearing the three men break through the brush and start to chase after her.

_The question is what am I going to do with them? How far can I lead them before they stop chasing me? I __**might**__ be able to stop __**one**__ the way I did before, with my sword, but not all three, not at once!_

Ok, two are down. One has a bad wound in his shoulder - he's not going to be doing anything to InuYasha, and the other one is...is...well...he's not doing anything to him either way.

She pushed her way through some heavy brush, trying to keep clear and yet make enough noise that they kept chasing her. She got halfway through the brush, and suddenly realized she was going a lot slower than she should, struggling. Kagome suddenly realized Tetsusaiga was snarled in some branches.

_How the hell does Sesshomaru manage with two swords all the time? And he only had one arm for a while!_

Kagome threw herself forward, savagely tearing her way through. By the time she was out on the other side, the three men had come around the turn, and had seen her. They yelled at her to stop. Kagome turned, and ran on.

_Why do they always yell for you to stop? Like someone is actually going to stop?!_

Kagome ran along the riverbank, following it for a while, keeping one eye behind her.

_These guys are faster than those bandits were._

She kept running, wishing her track and field teacher could see her now. He wouldn't have made those snotty comments years ago.

Making sure they were still behind her, Kagome turned, and leapt down over the riverbank, splashing along in the shallows of the water. The men, cursing, ran down behind her.

_Come on, that's it,_ Kagome thought gleefully, looking over her shoulder, _Get those robes nice and wet. Miroku's always complaining about how hard it is to run in wet robes. Let's go!_

Sure enough, one of the men snagged his feet in the sodden hem, and went down with a splash.

The other two men stopped, and went back to help him up. Kagome actually hadn't expected them to aid each other, and she cursed.

_I wish I had brought my bow, I could try to wound one of them._

She paused, watching them, catching her breath. The two men helped the third up, and they started wading towards her again. Kagome watched as the water got deeper, rising up around their ankles, and then knees.

She watched, surprised, when they stopped, and seemed to be talking to each other, mumbling.

_Now what?_

The man that had tripped stayed where he was, while the other two started running towards her.

Kagome wasn't sure what was going on, but she hoped the third man wasn't able to swim.

The water was up to her thighs now, and she continued to lead them out a little farther.

_A little closer...closer..._

When the water finally reached her waist, Kagome threw herself forward, and started to swim, letting the current move her along.

"She's going back, move, move!"

_You'll have to walk back near the bridge to get out, and I can swim with the current a lot faster than you can run in wet robes! Hang on, InuYasha, I'm coming!_

He fought with the ropes that bound him. It was bad enough his arms and legs were tied, but he had been tied down to the stupid rock and he couldn't even roll off!

It had taken him a few minutes to realize what had happened after the first guy half fell on him, and the second had fallen, screaming. InuYasha was still feeling dizzy, his face and body hurt, and even thinking seemed hard. But each minute brought clarity as whatever they had forced down his throat wore off, and he was able to think better.

The man that had half fallen over him had an arrow protruding from his back, and the other one had one sticking out of his shoulder. It must have hit the shoulder, because the man had blacked out with the pain. Now both of them lay on the ground, not moving.

InuYasha recognised those arrows...Kagome had bought them from a fletcher in that village of hanyou. She had remarked over the bright yellow flight feathers, finding them unusual.

_I told her to run the stupid little idiot! Not come here and wage open warfare! The other three left to chase her...damnit! And I can't...break...free!_

He had tried calling to Tetsusaiga, hoping the sword would have come to him, but it didn't work. It must be too far away.

_If I was hanyou I could break these stinkin' ropes! I hate being human, Gods Above I hate being human! And I hate those damned bells too!_

He pulled against the ropes with everything he had, but only succeeded in seeing stars before his eyes. He couldn't, it was too tight, and too strong.

"What in the name of the Nine Hells is going on around here!?" came an angry voice.

InuYasha turned his head to see another man striding towards him, shorter than the others, but wearing the same robe. His hair was cut in the same short style, but it was grey with age, and his face was wrinkled. The man walked into the clearing, looking in disgust at the two bodies on the ground. He kicked the man with the arrow in his back, and then the one with the arrow in his shoulder. The one with the arrow groaned, but did not stir.

He raised cold grey eyes, looking at InuYasha, "What happened here!? Where are my students?"

"Let me guess," InuYasha said coldly, "You're this Manabu."

"That's right, I am Master Manabu." He narrowed his eyes, "I'm guessing, from the way you're tied up there, you're supposed to be the sacrifice I need?"

"I'm no one's sacrifice!" InuYasha snarled, fighting the ropes savagely, "When I get out of this, I'm going to cut you open!"

"Did you do this to my men?" he asked, kicking at one of the bodies below.

"That's right," InuYasha grinned, "pity I didn't get all of them."

The old man snorted, "And the others?"

"I killed them. If you let me go I'll let you live."

"And why should I let you go when you're all trussed up like this, and I need a sacrifice? I'm guessing you must be a hanyou. Saburo is an idiot but he's not completely stupid. The bell worked. Good."

He turned, disappearing from sight for a moment, and InuYasha turned, trying to see where he had gone. His eyes suddenly fell on Kagome.

She was crouched in the shadow of a tree, and was notching an arrow to her bow. Kagome looked up, met his eyes, and smiled.

_No, you idiot, get away from here!_

InuYasha shook his head wildly at her, mouthing for her to get the hell away. Kagome glared back at him, and shook her head.

Black eyes glared into black eyes, InuYasha jerked his head in the direction of the woods, a "Go-over-there!" motion.

Kagome shook her head, and mouthed, "No!"

Manabu reappeared, blinking at InuYasha. He spun in place...but saw nothing, only a tree.

He looked at InuYasha, arching a brow, but then turned back to him. In his hand, he held a black dagger, created in the shape of a snake, the body of the snake was the long serpentine blade. The blade was toothed, and each tooth had a small, back-wards curled hook, created for the sole purpose of tearing and ripped when it was removed. InuYasha blinked at it.

"Why the hell do you need a sacrifice, anyway?" InuYasha yelled at him. His only hope was that if he kept Manabu's attention, Kagome could hit him hard once, hard enough to kill, and she could get him out of there fast enough that they could both get away safely.

"I need one soul to seal the seal on my gouremu."

InuYasha blinked, "To what the what on your what?!"

"I need to complete the seal on my golem."

"Golem?"

Manabu turned, and held out a hand.

For a split second, InuYasha thought the man was completely insane, and he was talking to someone who wasn't there.

A deep, groaning sound echoed out over the clearing, and suddenly, with a burst of dust, what had looked like a tall stone tower started to shift.

InuYasha stared, shocked, at the tall rectangular tower, as it rose, and turned. Rotating in place, InuYasha suddenly found himself looking back at a face. It was flat, with only two square holes for eyes, and a long rectangular hole for a mouth.

With another groaning shudder, arms seemed to break free of it's sides, sliding out as if they had been folded neatly away.

Likewise, it was rising up, gaining yet another ten feet, as legs slid down out of the retangular body, feet sliding out of the legs.

It took a ponderous step, and the ground shuddered.

It was creepily fast for such a large thing, and a reddish glow could be seen in the eyes.

InuYasha stared, mouth open, utterly shocked. It was huge, and heavy. Yet fast, almost as fast as a human. Nothing that big, not alive, should be able to move that quickly.

"You see?" Manaby said with a note of pride in his voice, "My golem."

"How is that thing alive?" InuYasha asked.

"There is a demon inside. I have trapped it in there. I stole it's body, and forced it into the golem's body. It is forced now to do my bidding." He turned, and looked back up at it, and laughed.

"I can _feel_ it's hate for me. How it _despises_ me. But it doesn't matter. It _must_ do what I tell it to do."

He looked back to InuYasha, and smiled, "You have a very important part to play. Your heart's blood will harden the seal on the golem so that it can never escape. It has to be a hanyou's blood, in it's weakest form. Well, that means human."

He paused, and spoke again, "You know, our brother monestary was telling me, a while ago, about a hanyou that had arrived and released a terrible creature out into the world, one that we had finally captured. He gave me a description. I didn't have the honour of seeing you in your hanyou form, but I find it hard to believe there are two young men with long hair and crimson clothing running around in these lands. It was you, wasn't it?"

"Yeah it was me! That 'terrible creature' was a little six year old girl! Your brother monk was insane!"

"I do not expect you to understand. My order has been watching over these lands for hundreds of years, protecting the people from violent, savage creatures like that. You undid something that took us a long time to do."

"Well cry me a river," InuYasha growled.

"I saw you and your woman across the river, and ordered the golem to open fire on you. Unfortunately the fool thing shot with everything it had, and you were obliterated. Or so I thought. I do, actually, apologise if your lady friend was killed or hurt. This was only about you.

Now then."

The man reached out, and untied InuYasha's haori and gi, baring his chest. InuYasha struggled, trying to break free, but it was useless.

"I'd like to be able to tell you it wouldn't hurt, but I don't want to lie to a man about to die."

InuYasha looked at the dagger, poised over his heart.

_Kagome...please...don't watch them-_

Her voice suddenly rang out, _"Hey! Get away from him!"_

Kagome had watched as the man turned from InuYasha, rummaging around in a small bag. She had readied her bow, when their eyes had met.

Kagome tried to let him know it was ok, she was there, and was going to save him, when he shook his head at her!

Did he _want_ to be skewered?!

She watched, unbelieving, as he actually _fought_ with her.

He was tied up, on an altar, going to be a sacrifice, and he was _arguing_ with her!

Kagome had been ready to shoot him, when suddenly, the tower had shifted, and started moving, and Kagome had heard the man's words.

A golem.

She crouched, watching, her heart sinking. Now what was she going to do? She couldn't shoot the golem with the arrow, it wouldn't do _anything_. And if she shot the man, she couldn't be completely sure she would kill him with one hit. If he lived long enough to give even one command, the golem would turn on her and InuYasha. And it might take time to free InuYasha too.

_What do I do!?_

At her hip, she suddenly felt Tetsusaiga pulse.

Kagome looked down, blinking, shocked. She had never felt it pulse like that before. She hadn't _heard_ anything, but had felt it, like a heartbeat against her hip.

_Tetsusaiga? You want me to bring you to InuYasha, don't you? I can't, at least not yet. I'll be killed if I go out with you, and if I call out to him, to tell him you're here, that man will plunge that dagger in him!_

Another pulse.

Worried, Kagome put down her arrow, and hesitantly took ahold of Tetsusaiga's hilt, and quietly pulled Tetsusaiga out.

Another pulse.

Kagome whispered, _"I can't. Either that thing will kill me or that guy will stab InuYasha. Either way you won't get to him in time! And why am I whispering to a sword?"_

Kagome started to re-sheath Tetsusaiga, to pick up her arrow again, when the Tetsusaiga gave another pulse, and with it, the Shikon, under her shirt gave a quiet chime, _ting!_

Kagome blinked.

She paused, and opened herself to the Shikon. Only it wasn't just the Shikon's presence she was aware of.

It was _Tetsusaiga._

The Tetsusaiga was using the Shikon to communicate.

Izumi had once startled InuYasha by calling Tetsusaiga 'she'. She had told InuYasha that the spirits of all swords were female. Kagome had thought Izumi was speaking in the figurative, in much the same way ships were always called 'she'.

Whether Izumi had been speaking figuratively, or literally, the presence inside the sword, the spirit of Tetsusaiga that Kagome was encountering, was that of a female.

Tetsusaiga was angry.

As it spoke to Kagome, it didn't use words. It wasn't like talking to another person. What Tetsusaiga gave Kagome was feelings, emotions, images, sensations, and ideas. Kagome very quickly discovered that Tetsusaiga was _very_ aware of what was going on around it...her. It didn't have the same sensations of a human woman, or even a demon. It was more detatched. But it still felt, and it was giving Kagome the equivalent of an earful, one woman talking to another.

Tetsusaiga was _angry_.

Kagome was swamped with images of her original master. InuTashio. InuTashio had forged Tetsusaiga, and from his body had come her awareness of the first time. Tetsusaiga had loved her master, who had weilded her with love and concern. He had used her with honor, with grace and wisdom.

But her master had fallen.

She had been abandoned, left behind in an empty place, for many, many years. And when she had been weilded next, by a non-human - Kagome was suddenly, shockingly aware that Tetsusaiga had been awake when she had accidentally pulled it from the ground inside the resting place of InuYasha's father - it had been held by someone Tetsusaiga had realized was a descendant of her master. And while Tetsusaiga missed InuTashio, being weilded by a son of him was certainly acceptable to her.

But this master..._this_ master...

He was hard! And clumsy! He was rough! He had used her as if _chopping wood!_ He had no control over his emotions, letting anger best him so easily! Gone was the honor, gone was the grace, gone was the _skill_ with which she had been used! She was thrown around like some lesser blade, used to hack and saw!

Her master was a savage!

But over time...over time...they had found a comfortable rhythm. And her new master used her better. Used her properly. Gracefully. Skillfully. Tetsusaiga found herself forgiving her new master. He was, after all, young, and the young are forever full of emotions and hormones and youthful insanity. He was trying. She would try too.

Her new master had unlocked a great many of her powers, making her happy with him. He used her less and less like an axe, and more and more like a _sword_, a thing of beauty.

Then he had started taking proper _care_ of her. He often oiled her now, cleaning her, admiring her form and grace, and that was as it _should_ be. A swordsman and his sword were bound, and each should care for the other. And Tetsusaiga was content. She forgave his few tantrums he had, occasionally using her like a shield, or using her to just hack his way through something. This master, after all, was not as strong as her former, and would perhaps never be. If he occasionally used her a little roughtly, well...she would forgive that.

She fought for him, and when, sometimes, she failed him, she despaired. As she had despaired when she had been unable to fight back the Solar Flare and the Backlash wave on the island, and she had been unable to protect her master, and he had died.

Thankfully, that other one, that other woman, had brought back her master, and he had taken her up again, and had let her rest and recuperate.

But over time, over a great deal of time, Tetsusaiga had become aware of something else.

She was pulled from her sheath often, to fight, to protect...but not always to protect her _master_. Now there were others with him, and he often used her to defend them.

This was also fine. She was a sword, she was used to fight and defend. However...often...quite often...there was another near her master.

This human woman.

Kagome blinked, shocked. Tetsusaiga was _aware_ of her?

Tetsusaiga gave the affirmative to Kagome. Tetsusaiga was, indeed, aware of her. She was often with her master. Was often carried by this woman _to_ her master. And Tetsusaiga had become aware a while back just how much her master took pride in Tetsusaiga. He loved his sword with a pride that was fierce, and that _too_ was only proper and right. Just as Tetsusaiga loved her master.

But for her master to allow this woman to carry her when he allowed very few others...well...that was an indication of how much her master cared for this woman.

More than once, InuYasha had held Tetsusaiga across his lap, looking down at her, while thinking about this human woman, troubled, upset, and Tetsusaiga was very aware of her master's feelings.

And now...now...her master was hurt. In pain. She had heard him call for her, but she had been unable to go to him, the distance had simply been far, far too great. And he had not called for her again. And despite how powerful Tetsusaiga was...she couldn't move on her own.

Tetsusaiga... was... _**angry**_.

She loved her young master. He was _her_ master, no other sword's.

Master needed her.

So...what were they going to _do_ about it?

Kagome blinked, shocked. She had thought that it was likely Tetsusaiga was aware, but she hadn't realized just _how_ aware she was.

Kagome's mind was overcome by images that Tetsusaiga had shown her, of the times InuYasha had held Tetsusaiga, despairing over Kagome, over the gulf that separated them. Of the times he had held Tetsusaiga, terrified for Kagome, thinking her hurt, or dead. An image of InuYasha hunting down and killing the goblin-things that had killed Kagome by the well, the despair that had driven him to hunt down every last one, for revenge. For Kagome.

Images of the times he had lunged into battle for her, to protect her, to save her, to keep her safe, and her heart starting hurting.

He _had_ died. Tetsusaiga told it herself, when the Solar Flare and the Backlash wave had been forced back at him from that portal, InuYasha had died, and Izumi had brought him back, and now she was gone, too.

InuYasha had _died._

_What would I have done if I had known that at the time?_ she thought, her heart breaking.

The sword pulsed, impatient.

_Ok. Fine. I'm not fighting this, not anymore._

Kagome peered up over the bushes, glad to see the human and InuYasha were still talking. All things Tetsusaiga had told her, shown her, had been in mere minutes. They still had time.

"Tetsusaiga," she said quietly, "I will shoot that man with my arrow. If I don't kill him outright, if he turns that golem thing on us...do I...do I have your permission...to weild you?  
To weild you to save the one... we both love?"

Another pulse.

"Ok," she said, sliding Tetsusaiga back in the sheath so she would be at Kagome's fingertips, and nocked an arrow.

Kagome stood up, aimed, and called out, "_Hey! Get away from him!"_


	4. Chapter 4

InuYasha watched as the man holding the dagger over him, stopped, startled. He turned, looking behind him, shocked. An arrow impacted in his chest, knocking him backwards. He dropped the serpentine dagger onto InuYasha's chest, falling back against the altar.

The golem turned it's head, reddish eyes turning on Kagome, and it started to lumber toward her.

_"Kagome, run! Run!"_

Kagome looked up, and seeing the golem starting towards her, let out a shriek, and turned, starting to run. The golem started after her, taking big, ponderous, heavy steps, but startingly fast ones.

_Well, so much for not having to fight that thing!_

The golem stormed past InuYasha, and he cursed loudly. InuYasha jerked his body to the right, trying to dislodge the dagger. If he could get that thing in his hand, he might be able to cut himself loose.

He lunged again, and felt the dagger slide off his chest, onto his arm.

InuYasha started to wiggle his wrist, his lower arm, trying to wiggle the dagger up higher, where he could grab it with his fingers. He might be able to cut the rope around his wrist enough that he could get one arm free.

It was a chance, and he couldn't just _lay_ there!

Kagome kept out in front of that thing, looking back over her shoulder. How was she going to destroy it? She knew she wasn't going to be able to use the WindScar or anything nearly as powerful as that. Besides, Tetsusaiga only transformed for InuYasha. Kagome was hoping it would just look like a normal sword, just a little stronger than her own, against clay brick. But how was she going to attack it?!

_He said something about a seal. They were going to kill InuYasha to make the seal stronger. Harder. If the soul of the demon, or the demon, or whatever, was put inside this thing, then the seal must keep it in. If I can destroy the seal, then maybe it can get out. And that would make it a normal demon. Maybe between me and InuYasha, we can get rid of it. Either way, it won't be a giant death-dealing golem!_

She nodded. It was a plan.

_Ok, I need room._

She turned, leading the thing back towards the river.

InuYasha just succeeded in grasping the dagger with his fingers when he saw the old man slowly rise up, clutching his chest. He looked grey, the pain of the arrow was killing him, but he wasn't going to go down easily. He looked around for the golem, and saw it slowly, ponderously, turn, starting to move back towards them.

InuYasha slid the blade into his hand, and started trying to cut through the ropes that bound his wrist and lower arm, the same one that wrapped over his stomach. If he could get that one free, he might be able to free his entire arm.

"What are...you doing...you...fool," he heard the old man mutter to the golem, "Just kill...her!"

_Keep running, Kagome, get out of here!_

He felt one rope part, and he tightened his grip on the blade, starting to work on another one.

The trees shuddered, and two fell, as the golem forced his way through them, toppling them, chasing it's prey.

Kagome puffed, seeing with dismay that the old man was standing up, watching them. InuYasha, however, seemed to be intently trying to cut his way clear.

_Good! Keep cutting!_

The old man staggered forward, several steps away from InuYasha, looking up at the golem.

"Shoot her you stupid cretin, _shoot her_!"

The golem lumbered to a stop, and started to raise an arm.

Kagome slowed, looking over her shoulder at it, trying to catch her breath. She had been running for too long, and was starting to feel winded.

The golem raised a hand, palm towards her, and Kagome saw there was a hole in the middle of it's palm.

Fire started to lick around the edge.

Turning, Kagome dropped her bow, looking up at the thing. It stood on one side of the clearing, Kagome on the other, a goodly distance away, but she knew she wouldn't be able to outrun the fireball that thing spits.

_"Kagome! Don't just stand there you idiot, run!"_

_I can't outrun that,_ she thought, and reaching down, pulled out Tetsusaiga.

She stood there, holding the notched, battered blade out before her in two hands, feet apart, panting.

InuYasha blinked, and leaned forward, _"What are you doing!? RUN!"_

Kagome ignored him, and spoke softly, "Ok Tetsusaiga.  
Let's see what we can do."

There was a soft whispering sound, and suddenly Tetsusaiga morphed.

Kagome blinked down at the blade in her hands.

InuYasha fell silent, utterly shocked.

_Tetsusaiga!?_

The blade was no longer rusty, nor notched. But neither was it in it's usual form. It almost seemed to be somewhere in between. The hilt no longer had that little piece of fur hanging from it, and the blade was not as wide as normal. It was much narrower, more slender, with less of a curve to it, save at the tip, where it seemed to have a small curve. It was as shiny as always, and to Kagome it seemed to vibrate slightly with power.

InuYasha blinked again, speechless. If it was possible, InuYasha would have said that Tetsusaiga looked more..._feminine_?

Kagome nodded at Tetsusaiga, and it gave a faint pulse in reply.

"Right."

She looked up, locking eyes with the thing aiming at her, and set her feet.

_"Kagome, no! Just run!"_

Flames licked at the edges of the hole in the golem's hand, and a fireball formed, shooting outwards, bearing down on her like lightning.

_A simple overhand swing,_ she thought, easy enough.

Kagome took one step back with her right foot, but brought the blade out with her right hand, in a wide swing, right shoulder to left hip, cleaving the air before her.

The fireball was split down the middle, two halves rocketing out to either side, gouging down into the ground, carving twin paths on either side of her, felling trees, before they exploded. Her hair blasted backwards, turning to stream out before her as the fire passed, an inky stream.

Kagome felt intense heat blast past her, heard the air crackling with the fire as it passed on either side of her.

Debris and wood flew, battered by the air, raining out, down into the river behind her with splashes.

Kagome peered up at the golem, panting. She smelled slightly singed, but she guessed that was ok, considering.

Keeping her eyes on the golem, she spoke, "Thank you, Tetsusaiga."

_Thump-thump._

Kagome's eyes roved over the thing, looking for something that would look like a seal, a plug, anything that might be used to stopper up a demon.

_It can't be too hard to get to, it's huge, and the old man would have had to have been able to reach it. So it can't be that high up. It has to be near the ground._

She squinted her eyes, straining, looking.

And her eyes fell on what appeared to be a circle, on the inside of the golem's left foot, where the ankle bone would be. It was round, and had writing on it, though from here she couldn't read it.

That had to be it.

"Ok. I think I see it. It should be easy enough to break with you."

The old man screamed, "Kill her!"

InuYasha snapped the last two ropes, and leaned forward, wrapping his arms around the old man, yanking him backwards, clamping a hand over his mouth, _"Will you just get out of here!?"_

"No!" she yelled back, turning, shocked, to see the golem starting to run towards her again, it's big feet sinking into the ground.

Taking a deep breath, Kagome lunged forward, and started running.

Towards the golem.

_"What are you doing!?"_ she heard him scream behind her, but she ignored him, and focused on the golem.

He was slower than her. Not by a lot, but he _was_ slower, and his feet were bigger, and he needed more room. She just had to be a mouse, to slip in and get that seal without getting stepped on, and she'd be good.

Easy.

Kagome ran, holding Tetsusaiga angled backwards in her right hand, not wanting to catch it on anything. She needed speed for this, easy and quick.

The golem raised a hand, and shot.

Kagome shrieked, and darted to the side, but kept running, kept closing with the thing. She felt the heat of the fireball blast past her, felt the ground shudder when it hit.

_Now!_

When it's left foot came down, Kagome darted in, running _between_ the golem's massive feet, and brought the Tetsusaiga out, feeling it slice into the clay circle, felt it bite _deep_, moving neatly and perfectly, dividing the clay seal into two halves before they shattered into a hundred pieces.

Kagome kept running.

She ran out from in under the golem, behind it, and turned, looking up at it.

It was still in the act of turning, to follow her, as the reddish light in the eyes flickered, and died out. A reddish smoke seemed to be pouring out of the hole in the ankle.

"Yes!" Kagome yelled, "We did it!"

There was a deep groan, and Kagome paused, backing up a step, only to realize that now that the demon had left the golem, it was lifeless, and was toppling.

Kagome shrieked, and turned, running again, this time for her own life, "No no no no no no no no no no!"

She saw the shadow of the thing rise over her, as it fell, fell, toppling, crashing to the ground. As each section hit, it shattered, dust and dirt billowing out. A ringing series of booms echoed loudly behind her as the thing fell to it's knees and broke off, raining chunks as large as cars along her path.

Kagome ran, and the cloud of clay dust passed her, enveloping her, cutting off all light and sight.

Something unbelievably heavy crashed to the ground behind her, and she was thrown forward, hard, landing roughly, crying out in shock.

She curled up, putting her hands over her head, bracing for the impact.

And waited.

And waited.

After several seconds of only dust and debris raining down around her, she cautiously opened her eyes, peering around.

There, not three feet away from her, just visible in the billowing clouds of dust, lay the top of the golem's head, sunk deep into the earth, cracked and crumbling.

Kagome lay back on the ground with a whoof of air, and suddenly smiled.

"Thank you, Tetsusaiga. So much."

Silence.

Kagome turned her head, looking at the sword, seeing it was back in it's old, rusty form.

Kagome picked it up, and laid it across her palms, and spoke.

"I am _honoured_ that you allowed me to weild you, Tetsusaiga, for someone we both love."

_Tha-thump._

She smiled, gently sliding it back into it's sheath, and stood up, heading back to where she had last seen InuYasha.

The old man had died.

He had struggled against InuYasha for a second, but within seconds, he faltered, and started shaking. InuYasha had let him go, but he had died, possibly from a heart attack. Not that any of it mattered.

He grabbed the dagger, and started attacking the ropes, savagely slashing and tearing.

Kagome...

Had he actually seen Tetsusaiga take on _another form_? It was like it's own, only smaller, more...slender.

Images of Kagome cutting through the fireball flashed through his mind.

Had Tetsusaiga protected her? Kept her safe from her own stupidity? If so, he owed Tetsusaiga a lot. Only...why did it transform?

The image of her running _towards_ the golem. What the hell had she been doing?

He had watched as she had run _between it's feet_, and then it had turned, and...and fallen.

Towards Kagome.

He had heard her cry out, but then everything was lost in the sound of the golem collapsing.

InuYasha tore and cut and yanked, cursing, "Come on, come _on!_"

"InuYasha!"

He looked up, shocked, as she ran out of the billowing clouds of dust, covered in a white clay powder, coughing, running towards him.

They both started talking at once, "Are you alri-"  
"What happened, are you o-"  
"Are you hurt, did he-"  
"What happened to the others, did they ca-"  
Kagome pulled her own sword, and starting cutting him free. He used the dagger, and within seconds, the ropes fell away, and he slid off the altar, moving to her.

"Are you alright? What happened!?"

"I'm fine, I'm ok, what about you, did he cut you?"

"No, he didn't get a chance, you shot him..." he grabbed her shoulders, "What were you thinking?! I told you to run!"

"And if I had you'd be dead! Don't be so stupid, what, I was supposed to just leave you there!? How long have you known me, anyway!?"

"Long enough to know you have a death wish!"

"Here," Kagome untied Tetsusaiga from her belt, and held it out to him, "She helped me."

"What?"

"Tetsusaiga helped me. We...she agreed to let me weild her, to save you."

InuYasha blinked at her, not sure what to say, "What do you mean, 'agreed', and what do you mean, _'she'_?"

Kagome smiled, "Come on, I'm not sure what happened to those other three guys, but we need to get moving. Can you walk?"

"Yeah, I'm ok, you?" he re-tied his gi and haori, and took Tetsusaiga, looking at it.

Kagome led him from the clearing, and they started back through the forest, avoiding the path. The other three men were likely to use that way to return, and they were both a little too tired to fight anyone else.

"Kagome, tell me what happened."

She looked up at him as he looked down at her, watching as he stepped ahead and pushed back a branch so she could get by, "I told you, I came back and saw you. I picked up Tetsusaiga, and she talked to me. We agreed to save you, and she agreed to let me weild her to save you. And she did. You must have seen."

"I did, I..." InuYasha looked utterly baffled, "What do you _mean_, 'she'?"

Kagome laughed, "It's sort of hard to explain. Tetsusaiga has a female spirit. Talking to her is sort of like talking to an older woman."

InuYasha just stared.

"Don't get me wrong," she said, grinning at him, "I'm not saying there's a woman in your sword. She doesn't exactly peek at you when you're bathing or anything."

InuYasha suddenly turned utterly crimson, the same color as his haori, and he blinked, backing up a step, "What do you mean by that!?"

Kagome blinked, "I mean what I said. Tetsusaiga is female, but she's not, like...peeking at you."

"I...I knew that..." he said lamely, not meeting her eyes for a second.

"Anyway...she told me a lot of things. You have a couple of things to make up to her, by the way."

He turned back to her, startled, "Make up to her!?"

Kagome nodded, "You used her like an axe when you first got her. She's a bit miffed about that. But she likes it when you polish her up, so take a little extra care next time to make it up to her, ok?"

She smiled up at him cutely.

InuYasha just blinked, utterly lost.

"Come on, InuYasha," Kagome said, as they stepped out of the shallows of the river, back onto the path to Kaede's village, "All women like to have their guy bring them gifts and fuss over them. Tetsusaiga's no different. Spoil her a little, it will make her happy."

"Yeah...uh...ok."

Great. Now he had a _sword_ to keep happy.

He watched her as she walked a little ahead of him, Kaede's hut now visible, and shook his head. After all that had happened, he shouldn't be thinking about it, but he couldn't help but regret that they had lost the opportunity to talk. Although Kagome had gotten upset...he still wanted it out.

_Next chance I get, then. Next time we're alone. I'm not giving up on it, Kagome, not any more. You said you weren't looking at me as anything other than a friend, but you couldn't look me in the eye and say it, could you?_

Kagome, for her part, was glad he was safe, and glad she had admitted, at least to Tetsusaiga, that...yes...she loved InuYasha.

She supposed it was fate. She didn't think she ever really could go any length of time in his presence without falling back in love with him. There was just something about him, that spoke so deeply inside her.

That _wasn't_ to say she was going to admit it to him.

He would still hurt her. _That_ was fate too.

That night, when Kaede and DarkWind had returned, they had eaten supper, and talked lightly. Night had come, and Kagome had bedded down, lying under a single sheet because of the heat. The cnetral fire was just a soft red glow in the room. InuYasha was asleep over by the wall, sitting up in his usual posture, his silver hair back. DarkWind was stretched out beside her, sleeping, or pretending to sleep, or communing with beings on another plane, or _whatever_ it was he did when he lay beside her and became still.

Her mind moved over all that had happened that day. That Tetsusaiga had allowed her to weild her, actually weild her. She had _spoken_ to her.

They had both saved InuYasha.

She remembered his face, when he had started talking to her by the river.

_" You weren't looking at me like a friend the other night! I know what I saw, Kagome! Look me in the eye and tell me you don't care for me as more than a friend! You can't, can you?!"_

_Is he...am I that transparent? I can't let him know, I can't. I don't want to hurt anymore, every time he runs to Kikyo with __**that**__ look on his face._

Kagome buried her face in her pillow, sighing.

Suddenly, other images came to her, other words.  
InuYasha blushing so violently when she asked if he had had a nice bath. When she had said they would have to find some way to occupy themselves. His voice, when he asked if her clothing was too tight, and how he had panicked afterwards, _"You're not skinny, you're perfect!"_

The other man, _"If you had been a few minutes earlier, you might have seen more."_ Then, _"I showed up just in time to see __**this**__ guy come down to bathe."_

"_She doesn't exactly peek at you when you bathe, or anything."_

"What do you mean by that?!"

Kagome suddenly turned, staring at InuYasha's sleeping form, eyes wide.

_He __**wasn't?!**__ I'll KILL him!_

A soft snore from him.

Kagome rested her head on the pillow, blushing brilliantly, watching him sleep for a moment, before she closed her eyes.

_I'll kill him later._

END


End file.
